Weaving with kids: how to get started

Weaving is one of the few crafts children can try on their own at a very young age. They see straight away what they are making: row by row a piece of fabric grows, and at the end they hold something in their hands that they made themselves. In this guide you will find out from what age weaving with kids works, which loom suits which age, which yarn to choose and why mistakes are absolutely allowed.

At what age can children start weaving?

Earlier than many people think. Children can do simple weaving in kindergarten, and by the last year before school at the latest, the "over one, under one" idea works well for most of them. Many nurseries offer weaving, especially in the last year before school, often on simple school weaving frames.

Depending on the region, the frames there are sometimes even built by hand. At home you do not need anything big to begin with either: a cardboard loom is plenty. I show you how to make one in the next section.

How to make a cardboard loom

For the very first try, you do not need to buy a frame. A cardboard loom takes about a quarter of an hour to make, and your child can help build it. Here is how:

1. Get your materials ready. You need a piece of stiff cardboard about 15 × 20 cm (6 × 8 inches), for example the back of a drawing pad or a sturdy shipping box. Add a ruler, a pencil, scissors, tape, leftover yarn and a blunt yarn needle or a lolly stick.
2. Mark the notches. Along the short edges at the top and bottom, mark small lines every 1 cm (just under half an inch). Leave about 1 cm free at the left and right. The marks at the top and bottom must line up exactly.
3. Cut. At each mark, cut about 1 cm into the cardboard. These notches will hold the warp threads.
4. Warp the loom. Tape the end of the yarn to the back. Bring it through the first notch at the top, down the front into the notch opposite, across the back to the next notch and up the front again. Keep going back and forth until every notch is used, then tape the end to the back. The threads should be tight, but the cardboard should not bend.
5. Weave. Thread an arm's length of yarn onto the needle or tie it to the stick. Go over one, under one through the warp threads. On the next row, do the exact opposite. Push each row down with your fingers or a fork. Do not pull the yarn too tight at the edges, or the weaving will get narrower in the middle.
6. Change colours. When the yarn runs out or you want a new colour, just leave the end sticking out a little and start the new yarn in the same row. At the end, weave in the ends or trim them.
7. Take it off. When the cardboard is full, gently lift the loops of yarn out of the notches at the top and bottom. Cut the bottom loops and tie the threads together in pairs so nothing comes undone. The ends become fringes. Slide a stick or a small branch through the top loops, and the first wall hanging is done.

If your child enjoys it and sticks with it, a proper frame is worth it. Our simple weaving frame is made from beech wood in Germany and comes in 20, 25 and 30 cm widths. It arrives already started, with the warp threads in place and a few rows woven, plus short instructions, two shuttles and a hand comb. Your child can get going straight away.

From 8 or 9 years: the rigid heddle loom

At around 8 or 9 years, a rigid heddle loom is the next step. The difference from a simple frame: the rigid heddle lifts and lowers every other warp thread in one go. So your child no longer has to go over and under each thread by hand, but slides the shuttle through the shed in one movement. It is faster, the fabric becomes more even, and they can weave real scarves and bands.

What matters is that the loom is narrow. A weaving width of 25 or 40 cm (10 or 16 inches) is just right for children. On wider looms it gets tiring for young arms to pass the shuttle from one side to the other. That is why I recommend the Kromski Presto, which comes in exactly these two widths. It is made from alder wood, folds up and stays put on the table thanks to its rubber feet. And it is nicely colourful: besides natural it comes in mint green, lavender and blue. The coloured versions are especially popular with children.

The Presto comes with everything you need to start: two shuttles, a threading hook, table clamps, a warping peg, a skein of hand dyed merino and instructions for a first scarf. The first time, it is best to warp the loom together with your child. I show you how in How to warp a rigid heddle loom: step by step.

The first project: a scarf or a wall hanging

Two projects work especially well for a first piece: a scarf or a small wall hanging. Both are done in a few hours. But it does not have to happen in one afternoon. A weaving project can easily stretch over several days, and the warped loom can simply stay where it is until your child feels like carrying on.

On the simple frame, a wall hanging is a great choice. Your child can play with colours, weave in thick leftover wool and leave fringes at the bottom. On the rigid heddle loom, a scarf is the classic first project. With simple stripes in two or three colours it quickly looks good. Let your child choose the colours. Someone weaving their own favourite green stays at it longer.

The right yarn: thick and forgiving

For children, thicker yarn is better. The thicker the yarn, the faster the weaving grows, and the sooner your child sees progress. Maurice Brassard Cotton 8/4 is a very good choice. It is a strong, smooth cotton yarn in 81 colours. It does not break easily, slides nicely through the heddle and works for both warp and weft.

A lovely alternative is Maurice Brassard Cotton Slub. This yarn is spun unevenly on purpose, sometimes thicker, sometimes thinner. So a slightly uneven row does not stand out, and the fabric still looks lively. Cotton Slub forgives small mistakes, and that is exactly what makes it so pleasant for children. Avoid very fluffy wool or bouclé for the warp, as they catch easily.

Mistakes are allowed

The most important thing when weaving with kids: it does not have to be perfect. Wonky edges, one row too many or a missed crossing are simply part of a first weaving. Let your child do it and do not correct every row.

A typical example: many children beat the weft very firmly. That is not really a mistake. It just makes the fabric more compact and dense. The scarf turns out a bit firmer, or the wall hanging becomes a small coaster.

And if something really is not right, just weave two rows back. Gently pull the weft out again up to the point where everything was still fine, then carry on. Children learn along the way that almost anything in weaving can be undone.

Weaving as a gift for children

Looking for a gift that will not end up in a corner after two days? A small, narrow rigid heddle loom is a good idea, for example the Kromski Presto with a 25 cm (10 inch) weaving width. Everything is included: the loom, the rigid heddle and the shuttles. You do not need a stand, a normal table is enough. Add one or two cones of yarn in your child's favourite colours, for example Cotton 8/4, and the gift is complete.

If you are thinking further ahead, have a look at the Lojan Flex with a 30 or 50 cm (12 or 20 inch) weaving width. Your child starts on the rigid heddle, and the loom grows with them: with the conversion kit it later becomes a 4 or 8 shaft table loom, without buying a new loom. For younger children from kindergarten age, the simple weaving frame is the right gift. And if you need more shuttles later on, you will find them among our weaving shuttles.

Would you like to start weaving yourself, maybe even together with your child? Then read Learn to weave: how to get started with weaving. And if you are not sure yet which loom suits you, our page Which loom is right for me? will help.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can children start weaving?
In kindergarten, and by the last year before school at the latest, on a simple weaving frame. From about 8 or 9 years, most children get on well with a rigid heddle loom.

How do I make a cardboard loom?
Cut notches every 1 cm along the top and bottom of a piece of stiff cardboard, wind yarn through the notches as warp threads and weave over one, under one with a blunt needle. All the steps are further up in this article.

Which loom is best for children?
For little ones, a simple weaving frame 20 to 30 cm wide. For older children, a narrow rigid heddle loom with a 25 or 40 cm weaving width, such as the Kromski Presto.

Which yarn is best for kids?
A thick, smooth yarn such as Maurice Brassard Cotton 8/4. Cotton Slub is also great because it forgives small irregularities. Avoid fluffy wool or bouclé for the warp.

How long does the first weaving project take?
A small scarf or wall hanging can be woven in a few hours. But it can easily be spread over several days.